Yoga through Beholding the Cosmic Form of God
Verse 11.40
नमः पुरस्तादथ पृष्ठतस्ते नमोऽस्तु ते सर्वत एव सर्व। अनन्तवीर्यामितविक्रमस्त्वं सर्वं समाप्नोषि ततोऽसि सर्वः।।11.40।।
namaḥ purastād atha pṛiṣhṭhatas te namo ’stu te sarvata eva sarva ananta-vīryāmita-vikramas tvaṁ sarvaṁ samāpnoṣhi tato ’si sarvaḥ
Word Meanings
namaḥ—offering salutations; purastāt—from the front; atha—and; pṛiṣhṭhataḥ—the rear; te—to you; namaḥ astu—I offer my salutations; te—to you; sarvataḥ—from all sides; eva—indeed; sarva—all; ananta-vīrya—infinite power; amita-vikramaḥ—infinite valor and might; tvam—you; sarvam—everything; samāpnoṣhi—pervade; tataḥ—thus; asi—(you) are; sarvaḥ—everything
Translation · English
Salutations to You in front and behind! Salutations to You on every side! O All! You, infinite in power and prowess, pervade all; therefore You are all.
Deep Meaning · English
Arjuna’s salutation in this verse marks the moment where the dualistic boundaries of subject and object begin to dissolve. By offering obeisance from all sides—front, back, and everywhere—he realizes that the Lord is not an entity located in space, but the very fabric of space itself. This is the transition from Bhakti (devotion) to Jnana (wisdom); Arjuna recognizes that because Krishna permeates every atom of existence, there is no direction where God is not present. This realization effectively dismantles the seeker's ego, as one cannot remain a separate entity when the 'other' is recognized as the totality of all existence. The reference to 'infinite power' (ananta-virya) and 'limitless might' (amita-vikrama) anchors this cosmic realization in the context of the battlefield. Despite the impending destruction of the Kurukshetra war, Arjuna perceives that the divine source remains unaffected, sustaining both the destruction and the preservation of the universe. He acknowledges that Krishna is not merely a charioteer but the ground of being, which explains why God is 'Sarva' (everything). Through this surrender, Arjuna moves beyond the anxiety of a warrior into the serenity of a witness who understands that the play of time and space is simply an expression of the Divine consciousness.
True surrender is the profound realization that because the Divine permeates every direction and every aspect of existence, there is no place where one can stand outside of God’s omnipresence.
Connected Verses
Elaborates on how the Lord’s hands, feet, eyes, and heads are everywhere, substantiating the claim that He is the Totality.
Krishna confirms His identity as the Self residing in the hearts of all beings, acting as the beginning, middle, and end of everything.
States that the entire universe is pervaded by the Lord in His unmanifest form, mirroring the omnipresence described here.
Affirms the pinnacle of wisdom where the seeker recognizes 'Vasudevah sarvam iti'—that everything is the Supreme Divine.
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